Saying Farewell
by SesshomaruLover23
Summary: Takes place after the events of the 1998 movie version. Christine begs for Raoul to take her back to the cave so she can say goodbye to her deceased lover, the Phantom. Raoul eventually agrees, and brings Christine back so she can say goodbye forever.


**Disclaimer:** I don't own The Phantom of the Opera (any version or form such as the original book by Gaston Leroux, or the film that this oneshot is based off of, or any of the characters that were created by the original author, Gaston Leroux.)

_**Saying Farewell:**_

(A/N: This will only make perfect sense to you if you watched the 1998 version of The Phantom of the Opera featuring Julian Sands and Asia Argento. If you haven't watched it, I suggest either watching it, or deal with being a bit confused.)

(A/N: _Italics_ = Flashback)

Christine sobbed, still lying down in the small boat as Raoul rowed. He kept glancing to her worriedly, then remembering that he needed to just keep rowing—Christine's life was in danger. After the rat-catcher had announced to the entire audience at the Paris Opera House that he had seen Christine making love to the wretched Phantom of the Opera, an entire mob had chased both her and the Phantom into the cellars of the Opera, where the Phantom lived. They had killed the Phantom, and they still wanted to take Christine's life. The only thing on Raoul's mind was Christine's safety. So he kept rowing on, even though her sobs made his very soul ache. When he stopped at the water's edge (The waterway the Phantom had showed them before he died led out of the cave under the Opera house, and out onto a river.) he was sure he had put a good distance between the mob and Christine, so he stopped. He got out of the boat and spoke softly to the still-sobbing Christine.

"Christine, we have to go. If they come down the river after us, they should be here soon. We must get moving." He told her gently. She ignored him and continued to sob, not looking at him. "Christine…" He said, putting a hand on her shoulder. She suddenly jumped up, anger in her eyes, and she glared at him as the tears flowed down her cheeks.

"I hate you! I'll never forgive you!" She screamed at him. He furrowed his eyebrows, keeping calm and quiet.

"Christine…" He began again, softly. "You must understand. We have to get moving." He tried to tell her. But she glared at him still.

"You shot him! And then you left him to die! You didn't listen to me when I begged you to go back for him!" She said, her voice beginning to crack. She put her head in her hands and curled up into a ball where she still sat in the boat.

"Listen, let's just get moving. Your life depends on it, Christine." Raoul told her. She said nothing, but let him help her stand. She got out of the boat and stood in the grass next to Raoul on the grassy shore of the river. Raoul looked around cautiously before beginning to walk, lightly dragging Christine with him. After a little while of walking, Christine spoke, her tone soft and melancholy.

"Where are we going?" She asked. Raoul looked at her, then looked ahead of him, not slowing his pace.

"We're going to my house. It's the only place we can go until I can arrange for us to leave Paris." Raoul explained. Christine glared at him again.

"I'm not going anywhere with you. You killed him!" She exclaimed, breaking free of Raoul's grasp. He stopped walking and looked at her.

"Christine. I didn't want to have to sound like this." He started off, his tone getting angry. "He sacrificed himself to save our lives. If he wanted to live, he would have gotten in the boat with us. But he didn't. He wanted you to survive. So he sacrificed himself for you. When I shot him, I was just going by what you said on the rooftop to me. You were frightened of him. And now you're suddenly in love with him? I'm very confused here, Christine." Raoul ranted on. Christine began to cry again, leaning into Raoul's embrace. Raoul sighed softly, immediately calming, and gently rubbing her back. Within seconds, he began walking again, keeping an arm around Christine's shaking, sobbing form.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

After a long warm bath and a good meal, Christine sat in the room Raoul told her to stay in. She sat up on the bed, staring off into space. The only thing on her mind was earlier, when her love, the Phantom, was killed before her very eyes. He had brought her down to his home after the rat-catcher had caused the scene on the stage, making everyone want to kill both her and the Phantom. She remembered everything that happened. He had set her down at one point, and she became angry with him and smashed his forehead with a rock. She sighed loudly at the memory, pulling her knees to her chest and hugging them tightly.

"Forgive me…" She repeated, as if the memory was happening all over again. She heard a knock on the door of the room. "What is it?" She asked. The door opened. Raoul walked in. He was glad to see she was wearing the clean clothes he'd given her, and that the plates on the tray by the door were nearly empty.

"Are you feeling any better?" He asked, concerned. Christine ignored his question and continued to stare off into space. Raoul walked over to her and sat next to her on the bed. He was quiet for a minute, then sighed. "I've made arrangements for us to take the train to London. We can stay there for at least a little while. Then we can come back to France. But Paris would probably be a bad idea." Raoul told her. She said nothing. After a minute of silence, Raoul gently touched her arm. "Christine, did you hear what I said?" He asked. She looked at him intensely.

"Raoul, I want to go back to the cave." She said simply. Raoul looked at her like she'd lost her mind.

"I will never take you back there. No doubt, the police will be there. And they will, at the very least, arrest you for being an accomplice to the Phantom." Raoul told her. Her expression remained confident.

"I want to go back to the cave. I must say goodbye to him." She repeated. Raoul sighed.

"Christine. You saw. His body fell into the water." Raoul said. Christine stood up and began to pace.

"Well knowing that crazed mob, they probably fished his body out and beat him!" She stated. Raoul sighed again.

"Christine, I'm not taking you back there." He told her adamantly. She glared at him, crossing her arms like a child.

"If you don't take me, I'll go myself. Who's to say I won't leave while the rest of you are asleep in the dead of night?" She threatened. Raoul frowned.

"Then I'll have someone watch your door." He said.

"Ah, like when you listened outside my dressing room door?" She teased angrily. Raoul sighed again.

"Christine…" He began tiredly.

"Take me back, tonight. And I'll go with you to London. I'll abandon my singing career. I'll go with you, and start a family with you. Just let me go back to say goodbye to him." Christine pleaded. Raoul looked at her for a full minute, thinking.

"Fine." He agreed. "But we can't stay there too long. You have to make it quick." He stated. Christine dropped to her knees and took his hands in hers, kissing his hands.

"Thank you, Raoul. Thank you." She said, beginning to cry again. Raoul smiled sadly.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

Raoul led Christine back to the river, very late at night. He hoped that the boat was where they'd left it. As Christine walked beside him, she thought of earlier again. _After the Phantom had taken her down to the cave, Raoul walked out of nowhere with a gun. The Phantom had taunted him a bit, and then Raoul had shot the Phantom—her love._ Christine sent a small silent glare to Raoul as he walked next to her. She looked away from him and back at the ground, thinking again. _After Raoul had shot her love, she cried, not wanting to leave his side. But the mob began to enter the cave, and her love rushed her and Raoul to the boat. He urged them into the boat, and then pushed the boat off. _She remembered his words as Raoul had begun to row away.

_"My world is finished, and so am I!"_ It was as if she heard him say it again in her ear, it sounded so real in her thoughts. _And after he had said that, the police had caught up and shot him. He had been shot 5 times before that bastard rat-catcher walked up and stabbed her love in the stomach. But this still hadn't stopped the Phantom. He quickly killed the rat-catcher. Then he had walked to the little pier that the boat had been at._Christine remembered screaming to him.

_"My love! Don't leave me!" She had shouted multiple times. The Phantom stretched his arms out. _

"_Christine!" He exclaimed. Then he was stabbed in the back by a police officer, finishing him. He fell into the water right after._Christine shut her eyes tight at the memory, trying not to cry again. Raoul caught her attention.

"Christine, why have you stopped?" He asked, a few feet ahead of her. Christine opened her eyes and looked at him, shaking her head. She began walking again. Soon, they reached the bank of the river where they had gotten off the boat. Raoul sighed in relief when he saw the boat still there. He got in, standing at the oars, then helped Christine into the boat. She sat down on the little wooden seats of the boat. Raoul began to row up the river, back toward the cave under the Opera house.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

They entered the cave without difficulty. If the police had decided to post any guards, the guards were nowhere to be seen. Raoul looked around cautiously as he rowed over to the small pier. Christine looked around as well, memories flooding back. She shut her eyes tightly and shook her head to clear it. Minutes later, Raoul stopped rowing. He tied the boat to one of the wooden posts on the pier, then got out, holding out his hand for Christine to take. Christine hesitated before taking his hand. Raoul helped her out of the boat. They stood on the pier together, looking around. Raoul moved away from Christine, moving to stand at the edge of the pier. He looked into the water, trying to see if the police had left the Phantom's body in the water. Christine began to walk around a bit, feeling numb.

"Christine, don't wander off too far." Raoul told her. She nodded in understanding. She began to walk through the cave a bit, her mind swimming with memories of her love. That's when she saw it. His bloody form laying on the cold hard rock of the cave floor, around the corner from the pier and the water. She stared at his body for a minute, not realizing that she was shaking violently. Raoul ran over to her, noticing her expression. "What's wrong, Christine?" He asked. Then he followed her gaze and saw the Phantom's lifeless body. Christine collapsed in Raoul's arms.

"Oh Raoul…" She said, beginning to sob into his shirt. Raoul stroked her hair, not knowing what else to do. When she'd calmed, she pulled away from him.

"Do you want a moment alone?" Raoul asked awkwardly. He had no idea what the poor thing wanted. Her dead lover was lying on the floor in front of her, covered in blood. Christine looked from Raoul to the Phantom's body, then nodded.

"Yes." She answered. Raoul nodded, gently squeezing her hand. Then he walked away, back toward the boat. He began to look for a shovel of some sort. He couldn't just leave the body there, he had to bury it somewhere. As Raoul looked for the shovel, Christine approached the body of her love. She knelt next to his lifeless form, trying not to cry again. She looked him over. Clearly, the police had let the mob drag his body out of the water and then beat it. He was covered in bruises and blood. His clothes were still drenched. A few rats brushed around him, squeaking in what seemed like sad tones. Christine ignored the rats and leaned over the Phantom's body, placing her head on his chest. She began to let the tears flow free again.

"Chris…" Raoul began, but stopped himself. He had a shovel in his hand. He looked at Christine sadly, then walked back toward the boat again, giving her the alone time she needed.

"Oh my love… My love…" Christine sobbed. "I couldn't leave without saying goodbye to you." She told her dead lover as if he would hear it. "My dear… I… I am with child." She whispered to the corpse. "I've told no one but you. I wish I could have told you when…" She said, choking back another sob. She stayed leaning over his body for another 20 minutes. Raoul stood up, walking over to her, thinking maybe she had fallen asleep. But she was just silently laying over him. Raoul sighed softly.

"Christine, we need to leave soon." He told her. Christine ignored him. "Christine…" He said.

"Just a few more minutes." Christine nearly whispered. Raoul nodded slightly, walking away again. Christine lifted her head from the Phantom's chest, and looked to his face. His cheeks were bloodstained, but someone had taken the time to cordially close his eyes. Christine leaned down again and gently pressed her lips to his cold, lifeless ones. Then she pulled away and gently grabbed his limp hand. She brought it to her stomach and held it there for a minute, choking back yet another sob. She set his hand down gently.

"Are you ready yet, Christine?" Raoul asked gently. Christine nodded a bit, wiping her tears away on the sleeves of her dress. Raoul helped her stand, then looked into her eyes. "Listen. I found a shovel. I want to bury him. If that's alright with you." He said. Christine couldn't help but smile.

"Really?" She asked.

"Yes." Raoul nodded. Christine grabbed his hand and kissed it.

"Thank you." She said. Raoul felt his cheeks grow hot with a blush. He began to look around.

"Is there a spot to bury him in here, or shall we bring him out and bury him by the river side?" Raoul questioned. Christine shrugged.

"The river side." She answered. Raoul nodded, bringing the shovel to the boat. Then he walked back over to the Phantom's body and lifted him, beginning to take him over to the boat. Christine walked around again, wandering into her love's bedroom. The rats all around watched her with curious eyes. She looked at them a little nervously. What if they attacked? She began to look around the bedroom; memories of their love-making filled her mind. She picked up a pair of his leather gloves and sniffed them. They smelt just like him. She smiled a bit. She began to look around again, putting the gloves in her pocket. She found nothing else worth taking, and walked over to the organ. She lightly ran her fingers over the keys, remembering him playing it and her singing. She nearly jumped when a rat walked along the organ keys. It squeaked at her.

"Christine!" Raoul called out. "I'm ready to leave!" He told her.

"Be there in a minute!" She called back. She looked at the rat again. It seemed to have a mind connection to her or something. She stared into its eyes, and it stared into her eyes. She decided to pick it up. It let her pick it up. She smiled, bringing the rat to her chest and petting it like it was a kitten. "I miss him too." She told the gentle rat.

"Christine!" Raoul called out again.

"I must leave, dear friends." Christine told the rats, gently putting the rat in her hands down. The rats all watched her as she walked out of the room. She walked over to where Raoul waited in the boat. There was just enough room for her to get in the boat. She quickly got in, and Raoul began to row out of the cave.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

Raoul stopped at the river side, getting out of the boat. He dragged the Phantom's body out of the boat as well, laying him gently on the ground. Then Raoul held out his hand for Christine. Christine sat next to her love's body as Raoul dug a grave for him. She played with his hair and touched the bloodstained skin of his face, thinking of all the good times she had with him. There weren't many—but she loved the good times. She wished there could have been more good times. Soon, Raoul walked back over, having finished digging the grave.

"Alright. Let's get him put to rest." Raoul said, panting a bit, exhausted from digging the grave. He dragged the Phantom's body over to the large hole in the ground.

"Raoul, wait." Christine said as Raoul got ready to put the Phantom's body in the ground. Raoul looked to her.

"What is it?" He asked. Christine walked over and knelt next to the body again. She leaned down and pressed her lips to her love's cold, unmoving ones again. When she pulled away, she felt her eyes well up with tears.

"Farewell, my love." She whispered. Then she stood and walked away, over to the boat. She stared at the moon, high in the sky, and waited until Raoul was finished covering the grave with dirt. He walked over to the boat when he was finished. He threw the shovel in the boat. Christine didn't take her eyes off of the moon.

"Christine… I have a couple roses in the boat, if you want to come put one on his grave. I took them from the cave. They were in his bedroom." Raoul said. Christine wiped away her tears and nodded. Raoul reached down into the boat and grabbed the two roses. One was red, and one was white. He handed the red rose to Christine. "It symbolizes your love. The white will symbolize my giving peace to him." Raoul explained. He and Christine walked over to the mound of dirt together. Raoul said a small prayer, putting the white rose on top of the grave. Christine remained silent. When she finally spoke, her voice cracked again.

"Farewell, my love…" She repeated, placing the rose on top of the grave. "I'll never forget you. And I'll always love you." She stated, the tears falling again. Raoul wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Come. Let's go back to my house for the night. We'll leave for London in the morning." He stated. Christine nodded. Raoul led her away from the grave and back over to the boat. Christine didn't take her eyes off of the grave as Raoul helped her into the boat. And she didn't take her eyes off of the grave as Raoul began to row away. She kept her eyes on the grave until she couldn't see it anymore. Then she turned away, looking back up to the moon.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

Weeks later, Raoul and Christine lived together in a small apartment in London. Christine was still grieving, but she was much better. She was finally smiling and laughing again. Raoul came home from work one day, walking into the kitchen area. Christine was sitting at the table, drinking tea, with a troubled expression on her face. Raoul looked at her, concerned.

"What is it, Christine?" He asked. Christine didn't look up from the cup of tea.

"I'm pregnant, Raoul." She stated. Raoul smiled.

"Oh!" He said, then realized who the father was. "Oh… It's his?" Raoul asked. Christine nodded.

"I found out weeks ago. That's why I made his hand touch my stomach." Christine explained.

"That's still great, Christine. He left you something great. Even though he is gone, he's left you a child that is mixed with your blood. Even if he's not here, a part of him will be." Raoul told her. Christine managed to smile.

"You're right." She agreed. Raoul smiled.

"Of course I am. Let's celebrate." He suggested. Christine smiled again. Raoul held out his hand for her to take. She did, standing up. After grabbing their shoes and a couple coats, they walked out of the apartment together. Christine put on her love's leather gloves, before lightly touching her stomach. She began to think of her love again, like she so often did. But she was brought back to reality when Raoul smiled and wrapped an arm around her. She smiled back.


End file.
